Our dear friend and colleague, Jennifer Morgan, recently shared that she is facing a new chapter in her life: a diagnosis that will require her strength, resilience, and the support of her community. Jennifer’s story of perseverance and healing has always inspired those around her, and it reminds us of the power of resilience not only in individuals, but in communities.
In honor of Jennifer’s commitment to resiliency education and in recognition of the challenges our world faces today, we uplift the value of resilience as an essential quality for our times. Around the globe, communities are navigating ecological crises, social upheaval, and collective trauma. Resiliency education helps prepare people not only to withstand these challenges, but to transform them into opportunities for regeneration, justice, and healing. Jennifer’s life and three decades of work in eco-social design and education remind us that cultivating resilience—within ourselves, our communities, and our ecosystems—is among the most urgent callings of our age.
At a time when uncertainty and unrest weigh heavily, Jennifer’s example calls us to deepen our investment in resilience. Below is a message from Jennifer, our President and an announcement about fundraising opportunities to support scholarship students around the world.
With gratitude,
Ava Klinger – COO, Gaia U
A Message from our President, Jennifer Morgan
Dear Gaia U International Community,
In the nine months since I stepped into my role as president at Gaia U International, I have been inspired and enlivened daily by the opportunities to contribute to regenerative education and eco-social design worldwide. My initial focus was on transforming Gaia U’s learning pathway design, program requirements, and credit system, including developing a prior learning assessment process that empowers students from various backgrounds to earn academic credit for their invaluable nontraditional experiences—whether through apprenticeships, internships, professional work, volunteering, or beyond.
I’ve been honored to work one-on-one with students in highly crisis-prone regions. For instance, I’ve been advising a resilient student in Syria, adapting her learning design to navigate the complexities of the evolving political landscape. Additionally, I am collaborating in building a trauma-informed Permaculture support guild that spans Palestine, Egypt, and Syria, dedicated to facilitating multiple projects. One of these initiatives involves a remarkable new Gaia U student (a refugee from Gaza now living in Egypt), who aims to create a Permaculture training center to help other refugees learn trauma integration techniques, access water, and achieve food security. Additionally, through the ICAAFS project, I am collaboratively developing a modular Permaculture Design Certification and Accreditation Program that we hope to debut in 2026, along with several other big announcements planned for the coming year.
Furthermore, my colleague Ava and I have revamped all of Gaia U’s operations and started our first cohort of students in September, just weeks ago. As part of this, we developed the Gaia U Scholarship Fund, which has raised enough money to provide scholarships to students in various countries, including Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Jamaica, Brazil, Belize, Egypt, and beyond. Every day, I feel invigorated by the impact of our work together. Ava has been my dream collaborator. I’ve never felt so inspired to work alongside, co-create with, or be supported by another human. Thank you, Ava!
Just a week after the launch of our first semester, on September 15th, I received the life-altering news of a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis, which has been quite unsettling, especially given my commitment to a natural and holistic lifestyle. While this unexpected turn has destabilized my life path, I am determined to face this challenge head-on with the support of my community. I am also empowered by accessing existing resources and the tools in my spirit satchel. As I consider my treatment options, I anticipate that my ability to engage fully with my roles at Gaia U may be somewhat limited. Depending on the treatment I choose, I may need 2-4 months for recovery, during which my availability and capacity to engage may be even more diminished. Obviously, I need support, and you can help me by going to my private fundraiser that Ava is hosting; however, Gaia U International and the Gaia U Foundation will also require loving attention during this time, and I appreciate any support from this fantastic community.
Ava and I are organizing fundraisers to ensure our Gaia U projects thrive even in my temporary absence. Please share this message with your friends, family, or anyone who might be willing to support me directly or contribute to our scholarship fund. Volunteering your time can also help the community be resilient in these uncertain times.
As I navigate my own learning pathway towards being a cancer survivor, I intend to document my journey and eventually create a handbook on resilience in the face of personal crisis. This resource will be of great value to the communities I work with. I hope to share updates about my learning and progress along this winding and unknown path before me.
My heartfelt gratitude goes out to my dearest friends, colleagues, and my family who have helped me with this effort since my diagnosis, from generating content for our public outreach, to managing resources for my care, and to providing emotional support. A special thank you again to Ava Klinger, my dear friend and the COO of Gaia U International, and Matheo James, a valued friend, collaborator, and member of the Foundation Board of Directors. I also want to acknowledge all of you in my personal life who have thus far offered your care and support during my initial appointments and treatment considerations. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I hope that, together, we can face our personal and planetary challenges with resilience and continue to positively impact our communities. Your support means the world to me.
With gratitude and hope,
Jennifer
President, Gaia U International
Executive Director, Gaia U Foundation
Donate to Support Our Scholarship Students: Introducing the Jennifer Morgan Scholarship Fund
Jennifer’s journey is a living testament to resilience: the capacity to meet life’s hardest challenges with courage, adaptability, and hope. In honor of her and in recognition of the urgent times we live in, we invite you to support the Jennifer Morgan Resilience Scholarship Fund, through The Gaia U Foundation and Center for a Holistic Ecology – a tax deductible contribution.
Your contribution will directly support students around the world who are pioneering projects in resilience, regeneration, and community healing. Our newest cohort includes inspiring leaders like Nadia Attar, who has trained hundreds of farmers in Syria to adopt regenerative agriculture techniques, and Brian Thomas who designed a permaculture summer camp in Jamaica introducing children to ecological literacy and hands-on land stewardship skills. Others are working on grassroots education, climate adaptation, food sovereignty, and trauma-informed practices – all critical pieces of what it means to build resilient futures. Read more about our new students here.
These students remind us that resilience is not just a personal trait, it is a collective capacity we can cultivate in our communities, our ecosystems, and our institutions. That is why Gaia U is deepening our commitment to resilience training. Integrating it more fully into our programs, alongside our long-standing focus on regenerative design and trauma-informed learning. In a time of mounting uncertainty, equipping practitioners, educators, and community leaders with these skills is more vital than ever.
By donating to the Jennifer Morgan Resilience Scholarship Fund, you are making it possible for changemakers across six continents to access the education, mentorship, and community they need to carry forward this work. Together, we can transform Jennifer’s story into a ripple of resilience that touches communities worldwide.